A complex saga is unfolding in Mombasa, where a shadowy power broker has quietly woven himself into the rivalries that define the city’s political and business elite.
From the boardrooms of powerful corporations to the backrooms of political campaigns, his presence is felt in whispered allegations, shifting alliances, and carefully orchestrated media wars.
At the center of this story is a man once employed in government service, later a failed parliamentary aspirant, and now a behind-the-scenes operator whose reputation rests on influence more than official authority.
Known to some as “Mr. Fix It,” he has built an image as the strategist capable of steering narratives, managing reputations, and manipulating rivalries to his advantage.
That figure is Abdi Mohamed Daib, currently installed at Bulkstream Ltd, the company formerly known as Grain Bulk Handlers Limited and owned by tycoon Mohamed Jaffer.
Holding the title of head of public relations while doubling as a private investigator for the firm, Daib is said to exercise control over how information is disseminated about the company.
Reports from within Mombasa’s business circles suggest he demands as much as Ksh 500,000 to suppress negative publicity, positioning himself as the gatekeeper between Bulkstream’s reputation and the media outlets that could damage it.
Insiders add that his ambitions inside the company do not stop there. Behind closed doors, Daib is allegedly maneuvering to claim the position of Head of Security Operations, a move that has unsettled colleagues who see it as less about corporate governance and more about consolidating personal power.
Alongside this, he and a network of associates are believed to operate anonymous media platforms that have been used to publish damaging stories, particularly targeting the Joho family, one of Mombasa’s most influential dynasties.
The Rivalry Architect
Within Bulkstream, Daib has become more than a communications officer; he is portrayed as the architect of hostilities between Jaffer’s empire and another of the coast’s wealthy dynasties.
Those familiar with his methods describe him as the mind behind a campaign of suspicion, feeding Jaffer with dossiers that portray his competitors as conspirators plotting against him.
Many of these so-called “reports” are alleged to be fabricated or at best exaggerated yet they have reinforced Jaffer’s dependence on Daib as both his protector and his source of intelligence.
By presenting himself as the only man who can uncover and neutralize threats, Daib has entrenched his position within the tycoon’s inner circle.
Politics as a Weapon
The relationship between Daib and Jaffer has extended into the political arena.
Twice, in 2017 and again in 2022, Jaffer is reported to have bankrolled Daib’s campaigns for the Changamwe parliamentary seat.
The strategy was transparent.
A trusted political ally in Parliament could offer leverage to safeguard Jaffer’s commercial dominance.
Both campaigns, heavily funded but poorly received by the electorate, ended in defeat.
Daib, unable to secure the legitimacy of elected office, retreated into his role as a fixer, where informal power proved more enduring than formal authority.
Entanglements of the Private Sphere
Daib’s personal life has only added complexity to his profile.
Allegations persist that he is romantically involved with Matilda Maodo Kinzani, Jaffer’s personal assistant and the wife of a senior government agency official.
Her name surfaced in a high-profile scandal involving allegations of digital blackmail, where prominent figures were threatened with claims linking them to corruption and narcotics.
Court documents suggest Daib intervened to protect her, allegedly offering inducements to officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in an attempt to block her prosecution.
With Jaffer’s backing, Kinzani secured high-caliber legal representation and managed to avoid immediate arrest, deepening the impression that Daib has learned to exploit his patron’s influence for personal ends.
The Forgery That Ended and Restarted a Career
The most damaging chapter of Daib’s public record remains the discovery, in 2015, that his rise within government service had been built on forged academic credentials.
Investigations confirmed that his Kenya Certificate of Education, Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education, and even university degrees were falsified. Verifications from Kenyatta University and JKUAT proved the documents were counterfeit.
The scandal cost him his job, ended his career in public service, and led to unsuccessful appeals that confirmed his dismissal but astonishingly, these same fraudulent papers are alleged to have resurfaced in the private sector, helping secure his current position at Bulkstream.
Sources now connect the forgeries to the work of a Mombasa-based cyber specialist known by the pseudonym “Rizla.”
Influence Through Fear
Inside Bulkstream, a culture of quiet caution surrounds him. Senior managers, aware of his history, are reluctant to challenge him directly, wary of both his proximity to Jaffer and his reputation for gathering intelligence on colleagues.
His presence, insiders suggest, has created an atmosphere where loyalty is performed as much out of self-preservation as respect.
The combination of alleged forgery, media manipulation, and strategic intimacy with the tycoon has given Daib a stature disproportionate to his official role.
Whether his rise is the outcome of clever networking, a mastery of manipulation, or simply the tolerance of unchecked influence, his story continues to ripple through Mombasa’s corporate and political elite, a saga still unfolding, and one that has no clear end in sight.
